Dynamic Character Design

I thoroughly enjoyed this character design tutorial. As someone who used to use the "how to draw" books as a kid, seeing an updated version that incorporates digital art was fantastic! I will definitely be putting the tips and tricks in this book to practice designing my own characters for D&D and other character creation games. There were several varied examples for each body shape, face shape, and hair type, but I would have loved a little further development into adding additional features such as glasses or different hair styles. I think anyone interested in drawing or character sketching will enjoy this book and find the tutorials useful, no matter their preferred medium.

This was an easy to follow how-to book perfect for both new and practiced artists. Whether your preferred medium is digital or traditional, this book will walk you through step-by-step tutorials to create adorable character illustrations.

I have been sketching for many many years now, but I'm new to the world of digital art so I was especially interested in the helpful advice regarding popular drawing apps such as Procreate. This book demonstrated the proper process to create layers, backgrounds etc. and took the guesswork out of an overwhelming application. It also included special QR codes for instructional videos from the author, which was great!

I highly recommend this to all illustrators and artists looking to fine-tune their work!

Thank you NetGalley, The Quatro Group & Walter Foster Publishing for access to the e-copy!

Wow! I learned so much about proportion and shape and color! This book was great for beginners and intermediate learners as well! I really loved how the author explained the concepts using both physical and digital media. Artists today really need to be versed in both. Some basic knowledge of Procreate is probably good to know going into it so you can understand the terminology but that can be acquired on YouTube in a couple videos first and you should be good to go. I recommend this book to anyone interested in learning how to make fun, realistic cartoon portraits.
Thank you for the eARC!

Thank you NetGalley for the PDF copy of Dynamic Character Design by Fernanda Soares de Carvalho!

It's been ages since I've seen a drawing tutorial book of an artist with a style I resonate with.

Really loved it, thank you!

I absolutely love the world of design. I am beyond excited to read, acquire, and share this book. I apologize I had a family emergency this week which has prevented me from being able to access information and post reviews. I should be back up and running very soon and look forward to share my full thoughts and review. Please watch this space. Thank you again.

I loved this book.
It was the best I've read in this genre.
I've had a bitter-sweet relationship with drawing, but this book made me want to return to something that I love and that has been present in my life.
The writing of the book is always accompanied by visual explanations, which help us understand the process. The author explains lots of ways to draw characters so that we can build them in our own way.
This book is not tips on how to draw, it is something that makes us understand how to draw and how to create a base of steps that leads us to what we want to draw.
And it's as easy as she explains, and you'll see results quickly by using the steps.
I'm super glad I had the opportunity to read this book.

From a simple circle to a final artwork, Dynamic Character Design takes you step by step through the process. It takes almost 100 pages to reach the coloring phase. The book is that detailed. There is absolutely no knowledge, or even artistic skill, necessary to use this book.

The book contains directions for both digital and traditional art media. For digital art, she uses Procreate. Though she does try to generalize her instructions, it is much easier to follow her when using Procreate too.

I believe following this book’s guidelines will make everyone a better artist. Plus, the author is both fun and enthusiastic. Overall, I really enjoyed reading Dynamic Character Design. 5 stars and a favorite!

Thanks to Walter Foster Publishing and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

My 10 year old is busy working through this book.

There is lots of info, guides and illustrations for you to learn how to draw characters.

Faces at different angles, different hair textures and body shapes are covered.

We also liked that there was a section on drawing with a pencil or creating images using digital platforms. We use the free app sketch book and this is a good companion to the book.

Thanks to NetGalley, I was able to read a digital ARC of Dynamic Character Design by Fernanda Soares de Carvalho.

The book is comprised of a short introduction, then five chapters covering, in order, tools, tutorials, sketching, drawing digitally, and tips.

I really liked this book. The art style is quite lovely, and the book is laid out very nicely. I found the tutorials very helpful, the illustrations and explanatory text clearly explaining things in nice easy to digest chunks. I would have loved if the tutorial and sketching sections were longer.

The digital drawing chapter is mostly software agnostic and is more about concepts applicable to process of drawing digitally rather than how to use the digital tools available. That being said, the author uses the Procreate app, and has a couple of software specific tips that can be very helpful to beginners.

In summary, this book will not teach you how to draw photorealistic people, but does a nice job of guiding you through the process of creating stylised characters.

As I embarked on a drawing everyday challenge this year, and struggle terribly with people and faces, I really hope a few months of studying this book will get me closer to where I want to be. I'm definitely buying this book on publication.

This book is perfect for anyone who wants to learn the basics of drawing. It has several helpful tips that I hope to implement in my sketches soon.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Walter Foster Publishing for providing the review copy!
The following review solely reflects my own independent opinion.

This book makes learning to draw a little bit easier and, most importantly, enjoyable.
The instructions are really clear, and the illustrations are not just beautiful but also incredibly inspiring.

Whether you're just starting out or already have a bit of experience, this book is for everyone!
It strikes a great balance between clear instructions and leaving enough room for your own creativity.

I particularly like how the book is structured – it takes you step by step from the basics to advanced techniques.

I can definitely recommend this book, whether you're just starting out, looking to improve your drawing skills,
or simply in the mood for a creative adventure. Be sure to check it out!

This is a very detailed book, full of useful information on how to draw characters. The author gibes the reader good examples, tips, techniques and tutorials, both regarding digital and traditional art. The book explains how to draw facial features, as well as how to convey emotions. It also displays information on anatomy and body types. A must read for anyone interest in improving their sketching skills.

Wow! This is a very well illustrated instructional book on character design and and line less painting. Definitely a valuable resource for any beginner or experienced artists who are looking to draw in a more stylized way. I love the little tips that the author has included in here and it was very insightful to look at her workflow. The art is gorgeous.